Disciples Of Ryouzanpaku
by Stone Shield
Summary: Exiled, chakra sealed, Naruto has been searching for a teacher Jiraiya had once spoken of: Hayato Furinji.  Rated M for language and for future developments.  Pairings to be revealed.
1. New Beginnings

Disciples of Ryouzanpaku

Disclaimer: Don't own Naruto. Don't own Kenichi, Mightiest Disciple.

Speaking Normally

_Thoughts_

**Enraged/Empowered/Demonic Voices**

Chapter 1, New Beginnings

A figure padded down the poorly illuminated street. Bare feet echoed on the sidewalk. Many would think that walking barefoot through the city to be a poor idea, but he had little choice. His last pair of shoes had worn out nearly a month ago, not that he really minded.

He'd been searching for the last year and a half, and only last week had stumbled onto a clue to what he was looking for.

Glancing at the ratty scrap of paper in his hands, he started looking from side to side, looking for something. When he passed a pair of double doors, each easily six feet wide and ten feet high, he paused, not just because of their oddness, but because of the feeling he was getting from the place.

Raising his hand to knock, wondering if it would even be heard, the door creaked open. Craning his neck, his eyes widened in awe. "Whoa."

"Can I help you, young man?" asked the elder man kindly.

The man looked absolutely fearsome. He could tell from one glance that the man was solid muscle. "Uh, is this Ryozanpaku?"

The elder continued to smile, but prompted the boy to continue. "It is."

"Um, uh, I'm looking for someone named Hayato Furingi." Damn but this guy's presence was daunting. Still, he'd yet to back down from anything.

The elder's eyes flashed for a second. "I'm Hayato, but why are you looking for me?"

The younger blonde shrugged, grinning weakly. "I don't really know…sir. My sensei recommended that I look you up."

Hayato's brow quirked. "I was unaware that many people knew of this address."

The boy's right eye twitched and he grit his teeth. "Yeah. I had to find you from rumors and what little information I could get. I've been looking for you for the last year."

"Oh, my. You're certainly dedicated," the giant of a man praised. "But again I have to ask, 'why'. Tell me, who is your sensei?"

"My sensei is-was Jiraiya." The elder's brow rose in interest. This was the boy trained by Jiraiya?

"Perhaps you should come in," he offered, stepping to the side and motioning for him to enter.

The complex was like a clan compound from Konoha, from what little he'd seen through the fences or shrubs. It looked a little run down, but, then again, who was he to talk? His apartment had been a borderline roach motel. He lazily wondered if they'd burned it down yet, a dummy dressed up like him burning in effigy. Ah, fun thoughts.

Hayato led him to a fair sized building. Taking their footwear off at the walkway, they padded along to a sliding door. Pulling it aside, a large room was revealed. A gathering place, judging by the cushions.

"Please, come in." Hayato asked, pushing the boy into the vacant room where they could talk in private. "Wait here for a moment would you?"

A few minutes later, he heard the door open again. But whereas he'd been expecting just the elder, he was surprised to see him enter with others. Giving each a cursory glance, he was starting to feel a little uneasy. There was a mustached man with dark brown hair and an even gaze dressed in a formal yukata. Then there was a shorter, much shorter, man wearing a brimmed, dark hat that shadowed his eyes. He found the man's smile to be oddly creepy…if familiar. Next was a walking wall. A guy in jeans and a worn leather jacket, the sleeves rolled up around his biceps, but still tearing around the edges. The scar across his nose reminded him of Iruka back from his time in the academy. Though the grumpy aura around him ruined that image completely. The guy was built like a tank. Not that the next guy was much better. Incredibly tan, he was dressed in light sports clothes and wore a headband over his spiky blue-grey hair. He looked like a real bruiser. The last was a woman who was, for lack of a better word, gorgeous. Her scant attire reminded him of a sadistic jonin he'd known. Oddly, a mouse rode on her shoulder. However, the sword in hand made him a little nervous. It was sheathed, but still…

Elder Hayato sat in front of him with the others sitting in rows on either side of him. He suppressed the chill that he felt at the attention on him. It was similar to ki, but less violent. More, it was like their presence.

"Young man." He looked up at Hayato. "I'm sorry, but I forgot to ask your name."

"Naruto, sir. Naruto Uzumaki."

The scarred man chuckled. "Fishcake?" The others chuckled appreciatively as the blonde twitched.

"What of it, boozehound?" Even from there, the smell of alcohol rolled off the man. The others stifled sniggers while the man looked like he might try to pulp him.

Openly laughing, Hayato focused on the teen. "Sakaki's habits aside, could you please tell the others here what you told me just a little earlier?" More than a little confused, he complied.

"Well, my master spoke of you to me, Hayato-san. He mentioned that I should one day look you up. I'm…not too sure why."

"Who was your master?" asked the straight laced guy with the mustache. His voice was firm, exact, but not cold as he'd expected.

"Jiraiya, the Toad Sage," Hayato answered for him. The shortest member of the assemblage twitched. "Most of you may not know the name-"

"I do!" the short, green clad man proclaimed. "He's the famous writer of one of my favorite books!"

Naruto palmed his face, groaning. '_Even here._'

Coughing to interrupt, the mustached man spoke up. "I've heard a little about him. He's from the Elementals."

"What the crap is that?"

"The Elementals, Sakaki," the man lectured. "They're an isolated grouping of secret villages where the shinobi lifestyle still flourishes."

Sakaki snorted, not believing. "You're shitting me."

Hayato nodded. "Akisame is correct. The Elementals are isolated geographically and keep themselves well hidden. And while feudal lords may have ordered the shinobi practice to stop, the Elemental lands were obscure enough to evade notice, and have continued to operate from the shadows to this very day."

Naruto's brow was visibly raised. In his time away, these were the first people he'd met that actually knew where he'd grown up.

"And Jiraiya…I haven't seen him in over a decade. He was one of the more honorable of his breed," Hayato waxed nostalgic. "Though I have not seen him for some time, he did send me the occasional letter. Like this one here." Reaching into his robe, he pulled out a worn envelope. "I received this letter three years ago. Tell me, boy. Do you know what it says?"

Naruto shrugged, having no clue in the slightest. Smiling broadly, "Jiraiya makes reference to a new student, something I thought he would never do again…after the loss of his first." Naruto flinched. "He goes on to say that the boy is fairly hopeless." Twitch. "Has no real talent." Twitch, twitch. "Is a bit of a hothead." Twitch, twitch, twitch. "And a borderline idiot."

His left eyelid was twitching furiously by this point, and he was seriously considering the benefit of edo tensei. He could revive his master…then beat the hell out of him.

Smirking at pushing the young blonde's buttons, Hayato continued. "Though, he goes on to say that he is one of the most stubbornly persistent people he has ever known." There was more to the letter, a great deal more. The beginning was playful jest at the expense of his student, but there was fondness in the words. The sage went on to describe the boy's character. Stubborn, in that he refused to give up in anything. He was described as having a good heart, even if he was thick skulled.

The key point in the letter though…

"I would like to put it to a vote," Hayato proposed. "Should we train him?"

Naruto blinked, "I'm sorry. What?"

"That was what your master spoke of in his letter, that he might one day bring you here to train." Naruto gulped. Sure, he liked to train, but there was something in the air that told him now was the time to…

'_Run!_'

He was out the door before his mat fell back to the floor.

Sakaki smirked to the others. "Wow, kid's pretty quick."

Kensai chortled. "Reminds me of our first disciple."

"Indeed, though he is faster by far," the well kept man chuckled. "Who shall go fetch him?"

"Apachai will do it!" but Shigure had already vanished.

'_Feet don't fail me now!_' Again, let it be said he wasn't a coward, and he liked to train, but there was something distinctly…off. So much so that his instincts told him a full retreat was the wisest thing to do.

The distinct sound of flying metal alerted him to the chain about to snare his ankle, with just enough time to jump to the side to avoid it. Midair, he twisted and turned, hurling the last of his shuriken at his supposed captor.

Whizzing through the night, the metal stars ricocheted off of a deftly used sickle.

Once again, he was surprised by the woman before him. If he was a pervert he would've loved to go anywhere with this woman. She was friggin' hot! But…he had more respect for women than his sensei. From the meeting, he'd gleaned she was strong, but her movements, the way nothing was wasted, sent worried shivers through him.

"You can fight… " she spoke duskily, approving. "Good."

Slipping a kunai from his sleeve, he prepared himself.

The door slid open.

Impressive golden eyebrows rising, Hayato looked over casually. "Ah, Shigure. Caught our young friend?"

Blinking lazily, "…Of course," she answered in monotone. She dragged the bound blonde into the room.

"How far did he make it?" the elder asked playfully.

"…The end…of the block," she murmured lowly.

"Hah!" the short, mustached man chortled. "That means I get your desert tomorrow, Sakaki!" The rough looking man growled in dissent.

The weapons mistress had seen better days, in regards to her attire. The teen had many concealed weapons. Not as many as she, but, by her guess, he was running out. Still, as a result, her smaller than recommended yukata had several slashes through it. He hadn't drawn blood, and she'd been going easy on him, but his skills with a blade were above average.

"Now, young man, please tell me, why did you run?"

Pouting, the teen glared lightly. "Survival instinct," he grumped. Several masters laughed heartily at that.

"Tell me, then, do you really not want to join us here at Ryozanpaku? To study with six masters is quite the honor."

Blue eyes widened, though he concealed most of his surprise. So, he'd been right, they were all masters. Sighing in defeat, "Really, it would be an honor-"

"But?"

"Something about this place scares the Hell out of me," he answered bluntly.

"Ah, a natural reaction," the yukata wearing man answered.

"Do you not wish to become stronger, young man?"

"To gain power without reason…is meaningless."

"Very wise," the yukata wearing man answered, nodding solemnly. "But do you not have a reason?"

"Not at the moment," the blonde answered blandly. "Still…I'm not an idiot. I know that I can't just shut people out. Sooner or later, I'll come across people that I'll want to protect… I want to continue my training so that when the time comes I won't be useless or too weak… I'm not Superman. So I can't say anything big like I'll protect everyone on Earth. I'm not a modest guy who will say it's enough if I can protect as many people as my two hands can handle either. I want to protect… a mountain-load of people, and to do that I need to get stronger." Sharing a glance with a few of the other masters, the elder smiled.

"Then you can train with us until then, and then decide your course," the elder interrupted, grinning, and obviously ignoring the younger blonde's meaning.

Naruto twitched. Did he ever even have a choice? He was beginning to wonder. Resigned, he slouched a bit.

"Now that we have that all settled," Naruto snorted lowly at the elder's words, "perhaps you could tell us just how you made it out of the Elemental countries. I went there long ago, and getting in was almost as difficult as getting out."

The blonde's face contorted, as if displaying an internal struggle. "I'll need you to let me go, first." The chain was gone so fast he almost didn't catch the movement. Raising his right hand, he unraveled the bandages until the cloth strips pooled in his lap. His appendage sported an odd pair of dark rings, one each on the index and middle finger. "Long and short of it. I was exiled from my village," he answered sourly. "They slapped these on me to seal my chakra, and I was publically booted." The assembled masters listened quietly. "As far as getting past the borders, it was fairly easy. I've been going places I shouldn't since I first started to crawl. But, for the short version, I walked. A lot."

"A fascinating story, I'm sure," the elder broke in. "But I think our new student-"

Naruto groaned halfheartedly.

"-would like to get some sleep after his long travels."

AN/ A little short, I know. Tell me what you think and give me time.


	2. Hell? Not Yet, But Close

Disciples of Ryouzanpaku

Disclaimer: Don't own Naruto. Don't own Kenichi, Mightiest Disciple.

Speaking Normally

_Thoughts_

**Enraged/Empowered/Demonic Voices**

AN/ I want to say one thing in particular. I got some responses that I made Naruto look a little out of character in the first chapter. So, to sum it up…who the **** wouldn't be scared out of their minds by the masters? But that's beside the point. Naruto isn't one to run from a fight, but you'd have to be retarded to not feel some apprehension at facing the quorum in the previous chapter, deciding his fate for him.

Chapter 2, Hell? Not Yet, But Close (aka Introductions)

The Following Sunday Morning:

Shuffling into the dining area, Kenichi looked like death warmed over.

"I don't know if I can do this," he moaned. "Why do I have to train so early in the morning?"

Every morning, before the sun even glowed on the horizon until school started, and after school and into the night. That was what Akisame-sensei subjected him to. But this was the weekend…meaning it was so much worse. Sixteen to twenty hours of excruciatingly mind wrenching pain. And today's weekend session had only just begun.

"It could be worse."

Kenichi cried a river of tears. "The sad thing is…you're probably right!" Wait. Blinking, he turned around. On the other side of him, a teen around his own age was calmly sipping his tea. Adorned in a simple karate gi, the spiky haired blonde didn't seem anywhere near as flummoxed as he was.

"…" Kenichi blinked in surprise, before "Aaah! Who're you? What're you doing here?"

Lowering the cup, "…Drinking tea?" the blonde proposed jokingly, reflecting confused innocence at the question.

"Yeah, I can see that." Kenichi twitched at the dry sarcasm. "Who are you?" he asked, only slightly less guarded.

"He's your fellow disciple," Akisame announced, entering the room.

Kenichi faltered in surprise. "W-What?" He'd only really just joined the dojo and now there was another apprentice?

"His sensei asked the Elder to aid in his training sometime ago," Akisame explained. "And, as your masters, we agreed that you could use a training partner."

Kenichi, pausing long enough from his gaping to think, couldn't refute the logic in that. Learning forms and exercises was one thing, but, outside of surprise fights by the occasional thugs there wasn't much chance for him to practice against an opponent. Though, Miu did sometimes spar with him. Which only reminded him of what Akisame had shared with him. Sparring, while ideal for learning, was also very dangerous.

Grinning innocently, or obliviously, the blonde extended his hand. "Naruto."

* * *

Outside:

Kenichi stood across from the strange teen.

"Now then, I want you two to spar. It will give us an idea of your improvement, Kenichi, and as a test of your skill, Naruto," Akisame announced from the porch, seated with several of the other masters.

'_I know less than nothing about this guy,_' Kenichi mused. '_So, I've got to start off strong…_' He _really_ didn't want to fight, but if Akisame and the others thought he was okay…then it wouldn't be too different than fighting someone like Miu. That is, the blonde wouldn't be overtly trying to harm him. It was just a friendly spar.

Not that his knees didn't tremble a little.

He really didn't like to fight.

"Are you ready?"

"Yeah."

"Yes, sensei."

Akisame's eyes flashed. "Alright…begin!"

What followed was…interesting.

Kenichi displayed his meager skills excellently, taking advantage of the blonde's openings when they presented themselves. But the blonde's reactions to said moves were less than expected. In short, his fighting skills were little more than those of a brawler. His form was shoddy, and he seemed to have little to no knowledge of said forms. Despite the relatively small number of moves they'd taught him so far, Kenichi easily took his attacks and turned them against him. Regardless of that supposed weakness, and the number of hits he took, Kenichi never managed to bring him down.

Despite Kenichi's progress, the blonde was steadily wearing him down with his own incredible stamina and occasional hits.

While the two young students rested from the spar, they conversed, Miu joining them with tea. Something the blonde decided he would no doubt be drinking a lot of in days to come.

Seated on the wooden walkway, Akisame observed them interacting, weighing what he had seen. Kenichi had indeed improved, easier to judge under his scrutiny.

And then there was Naruto…

Troublingly, the boy was a mess. He seemed to have no knowledge of any martial arts forms, his movements sloppy and unrefined. In contrast, though his overt skills were lacking, his instincts were exceptional, and his endurance and stamina were absolutely amazing. It had been quite a sight to watch him take all those hits, just to get in one of his own. That took patience and a high pain threshold.

"So, what do you think?" he asked lowly.

The Elder sipped his tea calmly. "Despite the life he has lived, I believe this one can be saved."

"They're all mercenary types then?" asked Sakaki over his beer.

The Elder nodded. "Most. Though I've met a few that were different. From what I've read, and seen just now, Naruto was cut from a different cloth."

"Then why's he so…"

"Sloppy?" Akisame finished, disappointment lacing his voice.

"He lacked the proper training," the Elder informed. "Jiraiya's letter spoke of his training with him consisting primarily of teaching him patience and thinking things through, tactics, areas he was supposedly quite poor in, but that before that he'd never truly received the proper instruction."

"His fighting instincts are top notch though," Akisame brought up.

"Yeah, saw that," Sakaki scoffed. "Kid's skills may stink, but he must've been in a lot of fights to develop those kinda reactions."

"He sleeps…with a weapon," Shigure spoke up with a tone of approval, adding in her bit.

"While not unusual for his people, I think it to be more of a defensive habit," Akisame mused. "His movements, the way he checks his food… I've been wondering if it is not so much due to training as it is from abuse." The jujutsu master looked to the Elder for any sign of confirmation.

"The most Jiraiya alluded to was that he lived a difficult life," the Elder informed. "But that is neither here nor there. The question is: what do you think, masters of Ryozanpaku?"

"He has potential," Kensai conceded with a grunt of agreement from Sakaki, and a rare, solemn nod from Apachai.

"He fights…well." High praise from the usually quiet weapons master.

With a nod from Akisame, the Elder bowed his head. "Then let us train this young man." Those that knew, vowed that they wouldn't lose this one to the darkness, even without knowing they did so.

Naruto shivered inexplicably.

* * *

There had been one concession to this, er, "great" opportunity.

High school.

Fiddling with his button down shirt, the blonde had only one thought, centering around a multiple homicide.

Despite all this, he still snickered whenever he thought back to the other day when the masters had confronted Kenichi. Apparently, he'd only been training with the masters part-time. No more. They'd taken him aside and offered to teach him full-time.

He ran pretty fast…for a civilian.

Not fast enough though.

It was with a certain amount of pride that he recalled at least making it out of the compound before being caught.

The principal struck him as a bit of an annoyance. Especially during the half hour audit wherein he was questioned on his past and his intent for the future. Luckily, with the forged papers courtesy of his masters it wasn't too difficult. That, and he was pretty slick when it came to coming up with plausible lies on the spot to any unforeseen questions.

Still, the guy was kind of annoying.

"Class, we have a new student today." She motioned to the door. Taking his cue, Naruto stepped inside, walking across to the teacher. She struck him as oddly strict, utilitarian.

Standing before the room of his peers, he couldn't he couldn't help but feel out of place. Same age, different lives. They seemed so…soft. Had he ever been that innocent? He'd long ago seen pain, death, and hardship. Part of him was envious of their sheltered lives, wishing he could have had the same. Then again, for all that he'd experienced…the good and the bad…it had made him who he was now.

"Why don't you tell us all a little about yourself?" she proposed.

"Uh, well, the name's Naruto Uzumaki," he introduced, one hand in a pocket, and the other scratching the back of his head. "I just moved here. And…really, there's not much else to tell," he finished, smiling crookedly.

* * *

"Wait, you're in the class ahead of me?" Kenichi questioned, surprised.

"I'm older than you," Naruto replied. "_In more ways than one._" Older in age, experience…and with the occasional memories of a centuries old demon. Yeah, complicated was a friend of his. "And what are you complaining about? I've got all this extra stuff to read just to understand what I'm currently taking." He groaned. The only saving grace was his abnormally low need for sleep and his wicked learning curve.

Certain subjects he knew already. Physics, Chemistry, Biology… He'd had to learn subjects of the like back in the academy, meant to make them all better little killers, and the current lessons were little more than reminders. It was classes like Literature, History, and Arithmetic that caused him the most trouble. For obvious reasons. The villages were culturally isolated. He did his math by estimation and guessing. And literature…well, that wasn't too bad. He had some experience from his time with Jiraiya.

He had helped write the lecher's final work. Jiraiya wrote the sex scenes, he wrote the softer stuff. Plot development and relationship growth. The first time Jiraiya'd got him to write some, he'd given it a once over before sending him an odd smirk. "Pretty sappy," he'd retorted.

Initially, he'd tried to beat the crap out of him for that remark. It hadn't been his idea. The pervert had given him an ultimatum: write, or none of his rationed ramen for the week.

Honestly, he'd thought it wasn't half bad.

* * *

Every morning, he and his fellow disciple would be forced to exercise and then run laps…dragging weighted objects behind them. He had a tire that Akisame had rigged with a few creepy looking stone statues, while Kenichi got similar but with the addition of their sensei.

"Ahhh! Notthewhip!Notthewhip!Notthewhip!" Kenichi was in tears by this point.

"Then run faster! You're still too slow! Turtles run faster!"

Just a little ahead of them, Naruto snickered. "Why aren't you whipping him?" Kenichi protested shrilly.

Hair ruffling in the wind, Akisame blinked from his perch. "I'd think that was obvious. It's because I'm whipping _you_." Kenichi whimpered.

"Because I don't need motivation, Kenichi." Naruto laughed mirthfully aloud. "And because I'm smart enough to keep my butt moving away from the man with the whip!" he cackled. In one swift snap, Akisame admonished him and demonstrated the true length of the whip at the same time.

"Less talking! If you've the breath to poke fun at your fellow disciple, then you should use that breath to run faster!" From that point on, Naruto remembered to stay as far ahead as he could. Leaving Kenichi behind…thrown to the wolves.

* * *

Afterwards:

"Whew!" Naruto sighed breathily, slumping against the exterior wall of the dojo. "That was a good run." While off to the side, Kenichi was crying anime style tears at the pain he was feeling.

"_He's just as nuts as they are,_" the suffering boy mentally whimpered.

"Oh, c'mon, Kenichi. It's not _that_ bad." Kenichi glared with the eyes of a gaki.

"How would you know?" he snapped.

Naruto grinned toothily in response. "My old sensei? He took me to an onsen in a village of people who practiced martial arts." He scratched his chin. "First, I thought it was to do his "research", the perv, and then I thought just maybe he was being kind and giving me the chance to relax."

Kenichi had the vaguest of feelings about where this was headed. "What happened?"

Brow twitching, "He threw me into the women's side...naked." Kenichi's expression bordered between horrified and jealous. Naruto snorted. "You think this morning was rough? Try spending an entire day outrunning a dozen pissed off women all bearing weapons, and the urge to smite."

"Why are all the best senseis crazy?" Both boys' shoulders drooped, resigning themselves to the fact that neither would have a "normal" teacher.

From across the training yard, "Hurry up you two!" Miu called. "Or we'll be late for school!"

* * *

Later At School:

It was kind of nostalgic being back in a "place of learning." First was the Academy, now it was this "school." And by nostalgia he really meant annoying as Hell. But, given his agreement with the Elder and the other masters, there was nothing for it but to grit his teeth, an uncontrollable reaction, and just accept the monotony.

Though, after all the shit that he'd gone through of the last few years, culminating into all that'd happened in this most recent year, he was pretty happy with that.

Classes done, that meant the rest of the day was left to training and whatever homework they had. Fortunately, Naruto had learned right off the bat to do any and all reading during his periods of freedom. That depleted the normal study workload that he would have at Ryozanpaku. So while he still had to do homework, it was substantially reduced by the time classes let out.

And when he got back...

Akisame's training really scared him. It was freaky and made little sense.

On the upside, he had gleaned a little from him. While he was behind Kenichi in learning forms and kata, he was physically a more advanced than him. Not that that stopped their sensei from starting him from scratch with his muscle building program, much like he'd done with Kenichi. And while he did join in the runs, he only participated in the endurance training half of the time. Considering his already outstanding stamina and endurance, Akisame and the Elder had both agreed that half of that time they would beat kata into him.

Most of the time, they would each spar, very lightly, with the masters, and once in a while they would be pitted against one another as a test of progress. The everyday training spars under the masters were almost debilitating. They were simply so strong that, even holding back, their blows were incredibly powerful.

Fortunately, both boys were pretty good at taking beatings.

Observing the pair of teens doing strenuous one-armed pushups on the poles, Akisame took random shots at them with a cane rod. They were each into their high fifties on their second arms, but there was a significant difference in the two. Naruto's strength was a little lower than that of Kenichi, mostly due to the "starting from scratch" plan. In order to prepare him for the training ahead, he and the Elder had come to the conclusion that the simplest method would be to break him down and remake him.

But, at the moment, while Kenichi was showing greater progress, the blonde's stamina was proving itself once again. Kenichi was groaning and sweating profusely, shaking from fatigue, but his fellow disciple, was showing only moderate strain. He'd factored that though. That was why their underlying purpose was to keep going until they couldn't any longer.

With a lightspeed swish, the willowy rod came down hard on the blonde's hand when he was too slow to react. "...81…82…83…" By this point, even Naruto was showing decent strain, sweat beading on his forehead as he now seemed to force his arm to extend, and Kenichi was just about to fall out. Their primary sensei put down his cane whip.

"Alright, that's enough for now," he announced, standing. Arm freezing, Kenichi fell chin-first to the ground.

"Oh, thank Goooddddd," the brunette moaned.

Stroking his well-trimmed mustache, "What say we go for a run before dinner?" Akisame suggested. Kenichi sobbed, but stood. "Naruto, you'll stay here and work on your Muay Thai with Apachai. Kenichi, the tire." Any other time, he might have complained, but, considering who the blonde would be training alongside, it was possible that he, about to go on his torturous run, was getting the easy task.

* * *

With Apachai:

The tanned giant bopped his gloves together excitedly. "Apapa! Okay then! Time for Apachai to teach again!" And for the next hour, he was instructed on the basic moves at his disposal. Well, for complete accuracy, that only took ten to twenty minutes. The other forty or so was spent surviving Apachai's near lethal "easy" punches and kicks.

He could take a hit and keep going. He'd been famous for that…but _damn_. Half the time he thought his head would fly right off his shoulders.

Turns out his never erring instincts had been spot on that first day. He had nothing against getting stronger, and he knew that it was paid for in blood, sweat, and pain…but these people scared him. It was like taking Tsunade's lazy, super-powered hits on a daily basis.

A rock-like knee buried itself in his cheek and he rocketed backward, right into the outlying wall.

No wonder his instincts had told him to run like a little bitch.

* * *

Dinner Afterwards:

Seated at the long table, the students of Ryozanpaku defended their meals. Though Naruto was doing so with far greater success. A kunai appeared right in front of Kensai's hand, embedding in the table. "No touchie my food!" Jiraiya'd beat that little game into him years ago, and he was damn sure not going to just let them take his food!

"Naruto!" Miu barked. "No kunai at the table!" To the side, Shigure subtly hid the weapon she'd been playing with, the picture of nonchalance.

"Let the boys eat," Hayato chided jovially. "They'll need the energy for tomorrow's training."

The spiky-haired blonde leant over, covertly mumbling to his comrade in arms. "How many laps?" As had become his standard mode of reaction…Kenichi whimpered.

In turn, the shrimpy brunette asked his own question. "How was training with Apachai?" Naruto groaned. His ribs, healing as fast as ever, still ached like nothing else.

Leaving the dining area, he barely made it out the door when Shigure sidled up right behind him. Jeez, she was silent even by ninja standards. Tapping him on the shoulder, "Come with me…Naruto." It was a minute of silence as she led him to the masters' dorms. It was the main house where the Elder, the other masters, and Miu lived. He and Kenichi, as of late, were stuck in the students' dormitory.

Confused, he still followed.

Stopping in front of a pair of sliding doors, she turned to him, her lazy expression as unreadable as ever. Years in the academy, more with Jiraiya, yet, a week and some change here, and he still couldn't get a read on her. "This is…my room," she explained lowly. "I invite you…in," ushering him inside. Dumbfounded at the sudden invitation, he hesitated at the threshold, noticing the traps. Turning back to her, she gave a slow, curt nod for him to proceed. Trusting her, he stepped forward, but still avoided the traps to his best effort.

Again, like the other masters, Shigure noticed his ingrained awareness towards his environment. She approved of it. Subtle twitches and concealed caution apparent in his movements. While often considered paranoid, a healthy amount of such usually kept someone alive.

The room, like most of the compound, was heavily indicative of older Japanese style. Just in the door was a wooden floor, about four meters by five meters. To his right upon entering, the floor ended after a little over a meter, dropping down onto a stone floor. And in that depression was a surprising work area with all the tools she would need to maintain or even repair her weapons should they need it. While there were several cupboard-like shelves in the walls, in more than one location weapons of various design were arranged openly, including a pair of complete samurai armor in amazing condition. In regards to the weapons, he may not know how to use them, but he did at least recognize a few. Katana, ninjato, tanto, shuriken of varying sizes and styles, and so many more he had no clue about. Seeing the chips in the timbers of the walls and rafters, he guessed that they served as targets when she felt like it. Not that the few kunai still embedded in said surfaces didn't already sell that fact.

Sliding the door closed behind her, she swayed past his tentative position. "Sit…please," motioning to a mat. Informal as he was, he would've dropped onto the mat, but, given that his sensei had invited him in, he eased himself down into a loose cross-legged position. He knew Shigure was one of the looser sensei in regards to formality, but he still felt like showing a little respect. They'd done right by him. Admittedly, they scared the Hell out of him, but it was to help him. So he would honor their investment. Just a little.

As he'd more or less expected of her though, she slumped down onto the mat opposite him. Resting on her left hip, she sat with her left leg curled under her and her right up and bent at the knee. Her exceedingly undersized kimono pulled up but still managed to hide anything more interesting than her obvious curves. To most, it could be considered a rather provocative position, but to her it was simply what was comfortable, not really caring about any outside opinion. And he'd learned long ago, after losing the ignorance, the importance of not staring. Her little mouse, Tochomaru, appeared from above, dropping from the rafters and onto her head.

He'd learned fairly quickly that Shigure did not normally eat meals with the masters. He assumed that the mouse came from where she and it had been dining.

"I wanted to talk with you…about your training," she began in her dusky voice before attention fell on him fully. "If you agree, you will…start lessons under me."

Thoroughly stunned, he sat there dumbfounded.

A solitary brow arching, "You do not wish for me to teach you?" she asked, managing an entire sentence without a pause.

"No, I mean yes," he floundered. "I mean, that'd be great, Shigure-sensei."

"Good. Though I was going to teach you…regardless." He repressed the twitch. The masters were so very blasé when it came to their pupils' choices. They were going to be taught whether they wanted to learn or not. "I know you have kunai… What weapons do you use?"

Brow furrowing just a little, he mulled that over. He had no delusions about being a weapons aficionado. In fact, "Well, I'd say I'm okay with kunai," he offered with a shrug. "I can use shuriken, and wire, but…I've never really had any teachers who've been heavy into weapons before." Iruka and the academy instructions had been little more than introduction to basic ninja weapons like shuriken and kunai. More advanced weapons and techniques came outside of the academy, either from Jonin sensei, extracurricular study, or familial teachings. Kakashi may not have taught him all that much, but none of it had really been about weapons. Jiraiya had tried to beat into him the reliance on all the tools he had on him. Fukasaku, well, he really only had time to teach him the sage techniques and Kaza Kumite (Frog Style). And B, similarly, stuck on teaching him how to handle Kyubi.

So, really, he'd never had any teacher that pushed weapon usage.

"It's a start," Shigure sighed deceptively apathetic. "Tomorrow…we will begin your weapons training."

* * *

The Following Morning:

"Here's this month's due," Kenichi sighed, handing over the bills. He paid, monthly, to get beaten up over and over. It was almost enough to make him cry. Smiling, the kenpo master tidily shuffled the paper bills, discreetly counting them.

Noticing this all going on, he only thought it fair that he pitch in as well. Reaching into his pocket, he pulled out his wallet as he reached his master and fellow disciple. "Ah, Naruto, I've been meaning to broach the subject of dojo tuition with you." That is, he was hoping to eke out a little more money if possible, even if the Elder had made no mention of charging the blonde teen.

Naruto laid down a small stack of money alongside Kenichi's installment. From a distance, he'd seen how much Kenichi'd dropped, so he'd matched it. "I can cover my end," he said simply enough.

"Remember, you never paid your entry fee, and with a penalty tax, your current payment is…double," Kensai piped in. Naruto groaned, but pulled out a few more bits of paper.

"Hey, where'd you get that?" Kenichi asked innocently. He'd become readily aware of the fact that Naruto had no family. So that had left the question of how he was affording schooling, and now this. "You get a job or something?" Unlikely from the sizeable stack of bills. That was easily twice what he had to pay. Hm, maybe Ma-sensei had gotten better at negotiating the dojo's fee than he had with him.

"Wrote a book," Naruto explained, shrugging, trying not to make a big deal of it.

Kenichi's eyes bugged. "What?" There was no freakin' way. Someone barely older than him had written a book…successfully at that judging by how easily he threw the money down.

Naruto shrugged. "My sensei was a successful author. I helped him with his last book."

Kensai's eyes glimmered. "Yes," he said with a small smile. "Jiraiya's books have always been an inspiration to me."

Scratching his nose at the teen's wide-eyed expression, "I'm even thinking about continuing the series." Counting the bills laid out in front of him, Kensai's hands clenched, the paper crumpling in his grip. He had noticed the subtle changes in Jiraiya's writings, and, while not a bad change, did not make the books any less compelling. It was all the known pervert could do to not openly beg the boy to do just that.

"What kind of books?" Kenichi asked, suspicious of the light in his sensei's eyes.

Taking the initiative to answer, Kensai's chest swelled. "Books to inspire the-"

"Dirty romance novels," Naruto concluded. Kensai's bravado was crushed. "Though I got him to tone it down in the last one." Kenichi's left eye twitched. Of course Kensai would be a follower of such novels. "Though I'd like to point out that with the switch from hardcore porn to romance with the occasional sex scene…sales doubled," he added smugly. That'd been his contribution.

"So you're really loaded?"

"Money's not everything, Kenichi," he lectured sagely, patting his fellow disciple on the head like a little child. Okay, so maybe he was pretty well off. When Jiraiya had conspired with him for the latest novel, making him his business partner, he'd signed him on as a joint account holder.

Tsunade'd taken him aside and told him that Jiraiya would've wanted it that way, but… Until now, he hadn't touched the money. Some part of him still considered the money to be Jiraiya's, and his alone.

At that time…she'd even tried convincing him to lend her some money. Something about a diplomatic mission…to the gambling capital of the Elemental nations. Right, he'd buy that one.

But if there was one thing Jiraiya had taught him, it was necessity. To survive, he had to do what needed to be done, so long as he could live with his decision. He constantly got lectures from the old lady, telling him to not be stupid. And, from what he knew, Jiraiya would consider him not using the money to survive as being stupid.

Oh, and robbing "ATMs", as he'd learned they were called, was decidedly more difficult in a big city.

And the Elder had given him a stern talking to, despite his necessity.

Guess which one made up his mind?

Hint: the Elder was really scary when he wanted to be.

Looking across the table at his, as it seemed would always be the case, perverted sensei, "I could probably use someone to go over the rough manuscript." Kensai looked about ready to burst into tears of happiness. Scratch that. Tears streamed down the mustached Chinaman's cheeks.

* * *

Training:

Kenichi went off with Apachai, something that had fast become solo lessons with the Muay Thai practitioner. Kensai and Akisame had both agreed that it was more practical to have one student still conscious while the other was recovering. So, as far as Muay Thai was concerned, he would teach them one at a time.

Ignoring the background screams of "Save me!" he tuned out his fellow disciple and concentrated back on Shigure as she demonstrated the more esoteric uses of small arms. At the moment, she was showing him how to use the chain sickle.

Her method of starting the session was…heart stopping.

Finished with Akisame, he'd been sitting under the tree in a stolen moment of freedom when… All he had was the sing of metal before he was wrapped to the tree by a chain, but the end was still flying. Blue eyes reflected unadulterated horror as the attached sickle flashed into his vision, coming closer….sinking into the tree just shy of his face.

Fortunately, he was good at bouncing back. Stubbornly resilient, that was what Tsunade'd called him.

Regardless, it was still a quick reminder of two things. First, he had been careless to let down his guard in…this place. And second, Shigure'd told him she'd be starting his lessons today.

"You're form is still…rigid," she chided, stuffing her own weapon in her belt. Stepping over to him, adjusting his hold for him, she came up right behind him. Firm grip around his arms, "It's not just from the elbow. You need…to feel the flow of…the weapon." She coaxed his arm into slowly twirling the chain. "Feel it as it swings. The chain is an extension of yourself… Reach out with it."

Okay, he was an idiot about girls, for the most part, a result of such underexposure for so many years, but her closeness was difficult for him. For one, even he could see she was beautiful, added to it that he liked the masters. They were all good people in his book.

Not that the feel of her pressing against his back didn't send his heart racing. She wasn't all that tall either, actually standing an inch below him.

You'd think that three years with Jiraiya would've tainted him, corrupting his innocence.

No such luck.

But he forced himself to stay on track, following her instructions. No matter how her dulcet, murmured instructions threatened to fluster him.

Twirling the chain, but keeping it loose in his grip, her guiding him, he snapped out with it. The weighted end shot forward, swinging around the chosen post, encircling it before tangling with itself and clanging rapping harshly against the painted target.

"…Good." Walking over to the post together, he undid the locked chain. "The chain is meant to bind, making it easier…to get to your opponent," she reminded as they stepped back. Removing her own, she started swinging it in a tight orbit. "But that is not its only use…" The chain in her grasp sang before rocketing forward. The weight shot directly at the post before socking the top of the post with a sickening thunk, embedding into it. Jerking on the line, the weight shot back to her, plucking it out of the air as easily as if it had been tossed.

She went on to demonstrate some of the more advanced moves. Controlling the chains direction during its flight. Flinging the sickle end in much the same way as the weight, and getting it to embed exactly where you want it to. Using the chain to defend against, deflect, and lock the attacks of one's opponents. And those were just the ones she felt he was adept enough that he could wrap his mind around.

All things considered, he emerged from the lesson far less…damaged…than he'd expected. He'd suspected that she'd cut him to pieces, a theory reinforced by the sickle-in-the-face event. He was sans all the cuts and slashes that he'd been expected.

AN/ End chapter. I hope this doesn't come off as too rough. It's been the kind of week where you simply want to look up to the heavens and say "Finish me already." _Grooooooaaaaan._ Also, by this point I've fixed the "Yamato/Hayato" error in the first chapter.


	3. A Family

Disciples of Ryouzanpaku

Disclaimer: Don't own Naruto or Kenichi, Mightiest Disciple

"Normal Speech"  
"_Thoughts_"  
"**Demonic/Enraged**"

* * *

Chapter 3: A Family

The lunch break on, he'd sought out the only people that he really knew in the school. And, while he did find them, they were pretty well hidden away. Kenichi'd almost cleared the ceiling in fright at being found, though it might've also been because he'd snuck in on their lunch.

"You need to relax, Kenichi," he recommended, trying not to smile as he watched his fellow disciple hyperventilate.

"Easy for you to say!" the brunette snapped back in retort. "You don't have people trying to fight you everywhere you go!"

"At least you're getting in some extra running," he proposed in weak jest.

Pouting sullenly, Kenichi bit into his sandwich without further preamble. "Oh, hahah." Most of the time, he ended up getting chased until he gave up and fought. Surprisingly, they'd done nothing to dampen rumors of his defeat at the hands of Tsuji, not even after the first week, so hunting season remained open on his scrawny butt.

Brow furrowing cutely, Miu smiled and tried to comfort him. "At least no one will find us in here." Looking to Naruto, she got a shrugging nod, meaning he had been discrete in his discovery of their secret dining spot.

"Yeah. All the people that want to kick your butt are still wandering around the school." Kenichi shivered. "Heck, I passed a bunch of seniors who were looking for you not ten minutes ago." Looking piteous, Kenichi rocked himself back and forth on the mat.

"Naruto, that's not helping," Miu whispered to him. Throughout his little talk, the poor boy had started twitching violently, overcome by a shadow of depression towards the fate awaiting him outside.

Laughing uneasily, "Sorry, sorry." Drinking some of his tea, he sat in silence with them. Not even a day after his arrival and subsequent meeting of Kenichi, the first disciple had gotten his butt handed to him in a street fight. Now everyone else wanted a piece.

Sipping his tea, the former shinobi looked thoughtful. "Look at the bright side."

"Feh, what bright side?" he groused.

"After school's over…"

Brown eyes looking up in hope, "Yeah?"

"You get to leave…and get driven into the ground at the dojo." Kenichi went face-first into the mat they were sitting on before curling into the fetal position.

"Mylifescary. Mylifescary. Mylifescary-"

"Naruto!" Miu whined, warning him with a brandished rice ball.

Embarrassed, but unable to hide his grin, he threw up his hands. "I'm sorry, I couldn't help it!"

"Ah, here you are." Kenichi's encompassing self-pity melted away to sheer annoyance at the voice, recognizing its grating, high-pitched whine immediately. "Niijima, great. Like my day wasn't bad enough."

"Oh, that hurts, Kenichi," the weasely teen uttered, recoiling in fake hurt.

Quietly sipping his tea, watching the goings on between the pair, he leaned across to Miu. "Who's this?" His visage practically screamed "weirdo." Well, that and "creep," but who was he to judge? Maybe his initial instincts were off.

Not likely.

Accepting the courteously offered cup of tea from Miu, the seedy teen noticed the increased number in the group. "Hm? Oh, expanding your inner circle, hm, Kenichi?"

Golden eyebrows quirked. Whoa, he did _not_ like that look.

Pulling out his pda, he matched the face to the student roster, pulling up his profile. "Making friends with upperclassmen, Kenichi?" Naruto Uzumaki. Sophomore. Transfer student. Oddly, he has no information prior to transferring into school. No previous school, nor address or anything else really. The only reason he'd been accepted was via a placement test, but that still told him nothing. Hm, it would never do for him to leave his files incomplete.

"Haruo Niijima," the oily teen crooned, extending his hand.

He shook the proffered limb somewhat reluctantly. It felt like he was shaking hands with the devil, or something like that. Weird.

"Naruto Uzumaki."

"Oh, I know who you are," Niijima clucked. "I suppose Kenichi hasn't mentioned me. I make it my business to know everything about everyone."

Regarding the almost sinister undertone, and yet not feeling anything threatening from him, "You're kinda weird." Never let it be said he liked to sugar his words.

* * *

(Leaving school for the day)

"You know the nuttiest people."

Kenichi glared sulkily back at him. "Maybe, but you know them too."

Pausing in his steps, the blonde scratched at his cheek, thinking. "Huh, I guess you're right."

* * *

Leaning against the wall of the street they'd just passed, Nijima smiled darkly. This was a new piece to the board, but perhaps one that he could use similarly to Kenichi. The familiarity he had with Kenichi and Miu, and the very vague information on him, made his sixth sense tingle. It wasn't the first time he'd had so little information on someone. In fact, Miu's file was much the same, even though hers did have prior scholastic history.

There was something going on, he knew it.

Flipping the lid closed over his pda, he started walking, smirking fiendishly.

* * *

To say that Shigure had given up on Kenichi was untrue. The fact of the situation was thus: Kenichi didn't like weapons, didn't intend to use weapons, so at most she would teach him to defend against them. Usually scarring him in the process, mentally as well as physically. A minimal use of her skills. Naruto, on the other hand, had no such compunctions. And this pleased the weapons master. Here was a student that she could truly teach.

"Your stance…" she lectured. "It needs to be strong, but flexible."

With _considerable_ words on his part, Akisame had managed to convince Shigure that, while swordplay wasn't out of the question, for teaching purposes she should use wooden swords.

…That he'd actually carved recently.

Seriously, did the guy _sleep_ at all?

Across from him, that same sleepy expression across her beatific features, Shigure stood poised, her own wooden katana in hand.

And, at the same time, she was analyzing him. She had yet to even teach him any of the intended exercises, and already he was yielding information. His stance was sloppy, understandable for someone with no prior sword training, but adaptable. His grip was strong, but loose around the wooden hilt. Obviously, he was dipping into his experiences of using kunai in hand-to-hand. A start, but she would show him the proper method.

Despite all she saw, there was still more she needed to evaluate. Alongside him, she led him through a slow lunge, bringing her raised bokken down in one smooth stroke. "Your attacks…need to flow." Motioning him to continue copying her movements. "If you hesitate, your strikes lose…power."

After demonstrating several different katas, "You will practice these motions…until you know them by heart," she breathed, arms crossed under her substantial chest. "And then…you will combine them." Stepping up next to him, she reached out to correct his grip, repositioning his hands an almost imperceptibly small amount, yet visible to her. Still holding her hands over his, sword aloft, "Strength will come later. It isn't always the stronger swordsman…that wins. Skill, agility, finesse…are all important. You must be able to make all your attacks into one continuous dance."

Really, he had to admire the masters at times listening to his senseis speaking passionately about their field of expertise. Jiraiya'd been the same. He spoke a big, perverted game, but when that was put aside, he'd seen just how great a man his teacher was.

THW-K!

"Stay…focused."

Uncrossing his eyes, he shook his head, clearing the stars away. His concentration slipping, she'd clocked him upside the head with a gentle strike from her wooden sword.

Gentle for her, and it still meant a lump to him.

"Sorry, master." To his surprise, she reached up and patted him on the head.

"Train now…think later," in that ever dusky voice.

A woman of few words, his sensei.

* * *

An hour later and it was a joint session with Kenichi, training with Sakaki. Kenichi looked no worse for wear. Considering he'd been training with Apachai less than an hour earlier, that was a miracle.

"Alright, you two. Get to punching," gesturing to the planted logs bound with rope. "I want you to keep good form."

"Yes, master Sakaki!" The two chorused, though Naruto's was less emphatic. He wasn't like Kenichi, ready to boldly shout out everything to his teachers.

Downing the last of his beer, he crushed the can, unceremoniously tossing it onto the porch that ringed the nearest building for later disposal. Taking a breath, he stood by his own post. "Alright. Now, I want a hundred punches from each of you."

"Well that's not so bad," Kenichi whispered lowly to no one in general. But Sakaki still caught it.

"That's just to get you warmed up, Kenichi," he explained with a vicious smirk. Darkly vicious.

Half an hour later found the pair watching as their Karate sensei introduced them to a new technique.

"It's called the meotoude," Sakaki described, moving both fists in tandem.

Any enthusiasm Kenichi had for learning a new technique from the karate master that day died then. "The married couple's hand? Seriously?" Not to judge…but that was a _lame_ name.

Naruto rolled his eyes at the younger teen, remembering when he'd acted much the same with Jiraiya. Once upon a time, he'd been all "teach me something awesome, pervy sage."

Really weird being on the outside of that argument. And a little humbling.

Whatever anemic attitude Kenichi had for the day's lesson under the karate master, it didn't prevent said karate aficionado from continuing his teaching. Though his first response to Kenichi's underwhelming response to his choice of techniques for the day was to cuff the brat upside the head. Of course, "easily" still meant the brunette went face first into the dirt.

Oh yeah, he remembered those moments too.

He'd learned quickly to avoid those where and when he could.

"Stop yer whinin', brat," Sakaki sighed roughly. "You don't see your fellow disciple bitching."

Shaking his head at Kenichi pulling himself dizzily back up to his feet, "Like I can't figure out whining makes things worse?" Kenichi glared the best he could at him despite the fact that there was three of the blonde bobbing around his field of vision.

Sakaki nodded sagely, crossing his arms again. "You hear that, Kenichi? Your fellow disciple says to "man up"!"

"_I didn't say that,_" Naruto mentally groaned, knowing better than to let any utterance slip past his lips. "Don't put words in my mouth, boozehound sensei." He earned a smack to the head for that one, but managed to catch himself before he could fall, merely stumbling in place.

Worth it.

Sakaki ignored any and all of Kenichi's mumblings. He wouldn't settle for slacking on his watch. "Yeah, whatever. Get your butts in gear. I want you to go through the motions. Two-hundred times against the post, and then you'll have a short spar to test it out." He beat the lesson into them, but it would be some time before Kenichi would fully appreciate the move.

* * *

"C'mon, Naruto! PUNCH! YOU CAN DO IT!" Apachai cheered, leading the blonde in a gentle, by his definition, spar, while Kenichi watched from the sidelines.

Twitching.

It would be his turn to face the Muay Thai giant next. This was like a prelude, a nightmare before the real thing.

"NOW, YOU DODGE!"

HWAP!

Kenichi flinched on instinct.

The blonde ate a knee to the chest that time. Naruto felt himself lifted free of gravity's hold for a split second before crumpling back to the ground, falling to his knees, coughing and wheezing, bug-eyed and tearing up.

"NOOOOHOHOHO!" Apachai immediately began wailing. "APACHAI DID IT AGAIN!" Gloved fists perched humorously atop his head, he stared down at Naruto. "NARUTO! DON"T DIE ON APACHAI!"

To Kenichi's shock though, the blonde's hand, shaking though it was, came up a moment later, waving off the giant's fears, forcing a grin through the pain. "'S okhay," he rasped, coughing. "Jus'…need a sec."

The scary part was…Apachai was truly endeavoring to be more easy with them. He was just lucky that it hadn't been a headshot. As far as training with Apachai was concerned…concussions were par for the course.

"APA!" Mitts held high in triumph, Apachai cheered on the winded, near unconscious blonde for not giving up. "NARUTO DIDN"T GO UNCONSCIOUS OR DIE! APACHAI IS ALL FIRED UP!"

But it wasn't meant to be.

Stepping in, "As proud as we are of Naruto not dying, Apachai," Akisame interrupted. "I think we should trade in Kenichi now." The renowned medical practitioner could see readily that the blonde was a hair's breadth from passing out, so to reward his steadfastness and Apachai's continually learning restraint, he would offer a reward.

Too bad Kenichi had to get the stick in that deal.

Kenichi whimpered at the scene. That was the standard they lived by in Ryozanpaku…death waiting in the wings at every training session.

While the quaking disciple trudged forward to his potential death, Naruto limped past him to take his place on the sidelines.

"Let's see," the Juujutsu master mused, poking the blonde none too gently in the ribs. Naruto grimaced, but managed not to suck wind at the discomfort. "Mmn, no broken ribs. Good." The retraining was going well. While strong before, the retraining was beginning to show. Muscle groups were improving. Now they just had to deal with all the more difficult ingrained teachings.

Naruto had the tendency to react instinctually in fights. Instinct was good. Unlike Kenichi, he could on a fly react to an attack, though the first disciple would likely develop that ability soon enough. It tended to separate amateurs from experienced fighters. The problem lay in that he had had no structured martial arts training before he'd developed it. All his instincts were honed around a brawler's fighting ability. He would have to relearn, and adapt this instinct to their teachings for him to excel and grow.

After their joint session with Apachai, both teens found themselves collapsed on the ground just off the porch that encircled the dojo. Each nursed varied aches and bruises testament to their surviving the Thai giant's teaching. Kenichi had an epic icepack, multiple bags strapped to his head by Miu, while his blonde fellow disciple had his ice against his chest from where Apachai had darn near broken his ribs. At least that was how the blonde felt. He _really_ missed the days when his healing was near instantaneous. He wasn't as bad as most; he still healed many times faster than what a normal person would. He was looking at several days of aching, more so if not for the inexplicably potent concoctions Kensei and Akisame fed them to speed their recoveries. Compounds that on more than one occasion they'd refused to talk about, and he'd gotten the feeling it was better _not_ to know.

"That's the tough love between master and student."

"Uhn, yeah…I can feel the love…" Kenichi muttered in response to Kensei's mocking. "Is it supposed to taste like the color purple?"

"Purple? Really?" Naruto questioned from where he lay, pushing himself up against the porch. "I could swear it tastes like umber…with a hint of sunshine."

Apachai was huddled on the walkway over them, knees to his chest, eyes wide in admiration for the two disciples. "Kenichi and Naruto can taste colors? Apachai is so jealous! Apachai tried tasting colors once, but the crayons tasted bad."

Laughing heartily at both Apachai's account and the groaning lumps of flesh that were the disciples of Ryozanpaku, the elder sat alongside Akisame, a shogi board between them. "Ahahahaha-hahah! You boys should be more spirited. You're doing well…besides having no real aptitude between the two of you." Whoa, talk about coming along behind and burying the knife in their backs. "Anyway, the sun's called it quits for the day. You two should clean up, dinner should be ready soon."

"I know this is supposed to be for our betterment, elder," Naruto offered. Pushing himself, wobbling to his feet, he pulled Kenichi up by the arm. "But you're all a bunch of mean mean people." Putting it lightly.

"Does anyone else hear "Please work me into the dirt early tomorrow morning, sensei"?" Akisame nonchalantly countered, setting a stone down on the board and taking the corner.

Kenichi didn't have the strength for any kind of rebuttal, nor did he have Naruto's knack for mouthing off, so he reveled in not being the center of attention.

* * *

Dinner was much the same as it always was since the disciples had moved into the dojo. Meaning that both had to eat very defensively as the masters tended to snag bits from their plates. Naruto had yet to have as much of a problem with that since Kenichi had been targeted as the easier target.

Shortly afterwards, the pair were led on their traditional post-dinner jog. Kenichi had his tire and whip brandishing sensei, and Naruto had his tire still laden with freaky statues…keeping a lengthy distance ahead so as not to get whipped himself.

The night was fair, the stars were out, he ached…and there was a hot spring calling his name.

* * *

This was something like his fourth or fifth time in the spring since his arrival, yet it never ceased to amaze at all the traps his weapons teacher tended to sow the area with. He knew how to avoid traps, so it didn't bother him…it was just something to admire.

Slipping into the steaming water, he sighed. It took a certain amount of control to not let his entire body relax from the moment he dropped in up to his waist. Taking a decompressing breath, he lowered himself down to his neck.

Heaven.

Eyelids drifting closed, he let the water work its magic.

"Chu." Blinking sleepily, he came almost eye-to-eye with Touchomaru floating by his face, the mouse waving casually at him. Yawning, he let it go, closing his eyes once more.

"Shouldn't sleep…in the spring."

"Mm." Wait a minute… At the moment he was too nervous to open his eyes. "Shigure-sensei?"

"…Yes?"

"Why're you in the hot spring?" Better yet, _when_? He hadn't heard her or felt the water move at all.

"…Felt like it."

"Ah." Sitting up, pushing the drowsiness aside, he looked over in the general direction of her voice…and tried his best not to stare. He knew that when it came to modesty, his sensei was a little…lacking. And yet he hadn't expected an outcome like this. Sitting barely an arm's breadth from him was Shigure, eyes in that usual half-lidded, almost sleepy state, completely…_completely_ devoid of clothing. She looked especially stunning with her hair pinned up out of the way.

* * *

Back in the Dojo…

Kensei's latest magazine slipped from his fingers. His ero-senses were tingling. Somewhere…there was something ero happening…and he was missing it.

* * *

He was so glad of the water covering her chest…most of her chest. He was not looking forward to that kind of embarrassment. He prided himself on his self-control. So no staring!

In that moment of assessment, Touchomaru had swum over to him and climbed up onto his shoulder, going straight up his hair to the top of his head. Where, with great poise, not just for a mouse, he did a swan dive using his spikey hair as a board.

PLOP!

"…" He really didn't know what to say in a moment like this. "Um…"

"I won't be teaching you…tomorrow."

Ooh, perfect, she broke the ice. That'd give him another span to think up something to… Wait. What? "No practice?" That was downright spooky. Shigure had, as of yet, _never_ missed a day of training. But then he hadn't been here _that_ long yet. Distracted enough to free his thoughts from potential embarrassment, he sent his teacher a look of honest interest. "Why not?"

"I am…going out."

Ohhh. Succinct, as always.

"Can I ask why?" He wasn't digging. This was just idle curiosity rearing its head.

"Yes."

Really? Not that he shouldn't expect this from one of the masters that so enjoyed playing with the mortality of their disciples. "Where are you going, sensei?" he asked dryly.

"Out."

For his own dignity…he didn't smack himself for not seeing that one coming either.

"Maybe I'll tell you," she stated out of the blue, her voice soft as a whisper. "…When I get back."

Grumbling at his sensei's unusually cryptic speech, he sank down until he was nose deep in the water where his grumbling could only be discerned as bubbles.

A gentle, damp weight landed on his head. Eyes shifting, he saw Shigure with her arm outstretched, her hand resting on his head. Ruffling his hair like one would a pet, "Good…boy." With her, he couldn't tell if that was a jest, or a compliment. What downright shocked him was the small, almost sleepy smile that she wore, looking down at him in what he could swear, for her, was deep amusement.

He tried not to blush. He failed in that regard, but he still tried.

On her head, he saw Touchomaru staring speculatively at him, little paws motioning back and forth in an "I've got my eyes on you" gesture. It was confusing, comical…and a little unnerving.

* * *

He would end up waiting all day and into the night for his weapons teacher to return.

After school, he endured the beatings of the masters and their so-called "daily lessons" only to collapse achingly at the dinner table, waiting for the food to be served. He was doing better than Kenichi in that respect. They could both take beatings, but Naruto's uncanny and welcomed ability to bounce back was worlds beyond his even without his chakra.

Poor Kenichi drifted in and out of consciousness, needing to be woken up and prompted to eat.

Halfway through and Shigure shuffled past the open doors, quietly but tiredly down the wooden walkway. The other masters likely knew the moment she'd entered the gate; he'd picked up her presence from the first step on the wooden planks. Bless his hearing.

And she looked rough.

The battered duster she'd left in was barely holding together, riddled with tears and what looked suspiciously like slash marks.

He made no mention of it given how the masters made no big deal of it, but he was certainly interested in hearing the story behind her worn state. He respected her skill, and was more than a little amazed that someone could do that to her. Before she cleared the doors though, he caught sight of the long, wrapped package in her hand.

It would take an idiot not to come to a conclusion, but only an educated idiot could come to a _likely_ conclusion. A sword? Hers was still on her back. So then what was this?

Taking his time, he savored his meal. Miu truly was an excellent cook. And, after the days they tended to have at the dojo, a good meal was like sweet relief.

His plate looking as clean as if it'd been washed, he put down his utensils…and the kunai he'd been secretly using to fend off the masters.

Apparently, he was just in time, too, as a tugging on his hair alerted him to Touchomaru sitting on his shoulder. "Chu."

He had a fair idea of what the little guy wanted. "Uh, I'm gonna take a plate to Shigure-sensei," he excused, picking up her already prepared plate.

"Get going then, son," the Elder dismissed, relaxing in his tea. "I'm certain she'd hungry after a long day."

That said, Naruto left as swiftly as he could manage, knowing full well that if he didn't he'd be catching some insinuating remarks from the Kenpo master. Too bad he missed the small man get up and race for the door, only to have his tunic tail caught by the Elder. "Kensei, please, you're interrupting dinner." As if he didn't know exactly where the man had been headed. He normally let the man fool around, but the wizened man guessed that there was reason for privacy, given how little Touchomaru had been sent to retrieve their second disciple.

It filled the Elder with pride at how their disciples had livened up dojo life. Just their small family, and things had been cracking at the seems from all their…eccentricities. First Kenichi and then Naruto. The two had sobered them all. Well, maybe that was a bit too strong a word. They had given them something to focus their energies on. Yes, that described their changed life well.

Miu smiled more, something that brought joy to his old, young heart.

Naruto was certainly changing Shigure. He always knew she had the makings of a great teacher. And true enough, she poured all she could into training young Naruto. The depression she'd exhibited at Kenichi's dislike of weapons disappeared completely with Naruto's acceptance of her training.

Naruto was much like Jiraiya had wrote. Stubborn as the earth, and not terribly cerebral, but he soaked up proper teaching like a sponge to water. A good student, potentially more so…if the teacher was willing to polish up all his rough edges, and there were plenty of those to be had.

It was humorous to see the similarities between him and Jiraiya, but also encouraging. The men those type usually became were a rarity.

Not that he didn't have his hopes for Ken-chan, too.

Such promising new children in their family.

* * *

AN/ End to another chapter. Setting it up for Shigure to tell her story to Naruto next chapter.


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